Pump plunger



G. R. LIVERGOOD.

PUMP PLUNGER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29,1921.

Patented Aug. 8, 1922.

warren stares @Z FEQE.

PUMP PLUNGER.

Application filed. July 29,

To all whom it may concern Be ltknown that I, GERALD R. LIvnReoon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Houston, Harris County, Texas, have invent ed a certain new and useful Improvement in Pump Plungers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to pump plunger-s for use particularly in deep wells. It is adapted for the handling of oil or water where sand and sediment is encountered in the fluid being pumped.

The object of my invention is to provide a pump plunger so constructed as to operate, for long periods in the pumping of liquid containing sand or other abrasive material without the usual amount of wear upon the plunger or working barrel of the pump.

Y Another object is to provide means, on the plunger of a pump, adapted to scrape the sand away from the working barrel in combination with a wear-resisting packing ring on the plunger to maintain a tight closure with the working barrel for long periods without'necessity of renewal.

Another object is to provide an improved means, by the use of which my plunger may be introduced into the tubing and Working barrel.

, These and other objects and advantages will more clearly appear from the detailed description which follows.

Referring to the drawing herewith wherein like parts are designated by like numerals of reference in the several views: Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal section through a length of tubing and working barrel showing my plunger in elevation therein. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section through the plunger. Fig. 3 is a similar section through my plunger attachment. Figs. 4:, 5, and 6 are plan, section and side elevation views respectively of my packing means.

The construction of the main body of my plunger has been devised for purposes of greatest efliciency and convenience. There is a central tubular section or barrel 1 the walls of which are thickened at the lower end 2. Said end 2 may be flattened on opposite sides as shown at 4: in Fig. l to supply a wrench hold. Above the end 2 and adjacent thereto is a small radial flange 3 providing a shoulder to receive the packing means. At the upper end the barrel 1 is screwed within Specification of Letterslatent.

Patented. Aug.8, 1922.

1921. Serial No. 488,311.

a head 5 which is threaded interiorly at its lower end to receive it. The head 5 is reduced in diameter'at its upper end and threaded for attachment to the valve cage 6 of ordinary construction.

Within the cage and resting on the upper end of the section 1 is a tightly fitting valve seat 7 shaped to receive a ball valve 8 thereon.

The means by which I maintain a close fit between the plunger and the working barrel of the pump comprise scrapers at the upper and lower ends of the plunger and resilient rings between the scrapers. The scrapers include a cup 9 having a spacing sleeve 10 between it and the lock nut 11 threaded on the barrelbelow the valve cage at the upper'end of the said barrel. The cup 9 is made of some resilient and wear-reslsting material and is flared outwardly somewhat at the upper end. The edge is sharpened to provide. a scraper to wipe or scrape the sand away from the inner face of the working barrel. There may be one or more ofthese cups at each end and I have shown two at the upper end. Thejcups are held apart by a spacer 10 so that the upper cup is clamped between the two spacing sleeves and the second one is clamped between one spacer and a sleeve or washer 12 which is recessed slightly on' its upper face to recelve said cup.

At the-lower end is a similar cup 9 with its flaring, scraping nd presented downwardly. It is clamped between the flange 3 and a slidable'ring or collar 13.

Between the cups 9 and 9 are aseries of rings or collars 13 adapted to fit upon said section 1 and to bear against the inner face of the working barrel 1a as shown in Fig.

1. One end of the rings 13 is recessed or reduced in diameter to provide a seat for a resilient expanding piston ring 15 of special make but the exact construction of which constitutes no part of the present invention. This piston ring is normally expanded and has to be compressed to be introduced into the working barrel after which its resiliency keeps it expanded to fit against the working barrel and sustain the weight of the column of liquid being pumped. These rings will wear for long periods of time without any marked loss in efficiency especially-if the sand is kept from contact therewith. An important feature of my invention, therefore, is the combination of a piston ring mounted as shown, with scraping cups to prevent the entrance of sand from above or below the plunger so as to score the rings and working barrel.

In operating my improved type of pump plunger the cups and; rings are assembled on the barrel of the plunger in the manner shown in Fig. 2 and the lock nut 11 is screwed down against the upper spacer 10 so asto clamp the cups and rings between the nut and the lower flange 3. The head 5 and the valve cage are then secured upon the upper endof the barrel and the plunger is then attached to the lower end of the sucker red 16 and is then ready tobe insertedinto the well.

When the rings are thus assembled they are in expanded position and the cups also are flared hut-warul SQ that the plunger will net readily enter the Working barrel. To hold the rings and eups in contracted position so that they maybe inserted downwti-dl th eugh the tubing and into the upper end of the working barrel I provide a;

guide barrel 17. This barrel comprises a short length of pipe having thin Wang and of such length as to cover the outer surface of the plung r. At theupp'er end of this guide harm :1 form a slight inwardly projecting jfiahge l8, At the other end of the barrel I provide a removable-collar 19 recessed atJQO to receiye the guide barrel, the

other end being somewhat bell-shaped to proyide a tapered mouth to re eive th cup and rines of the plunger. In the u e f this barrel I119 p g r is detached from the sucker rod and is inserted upwardly through the bell-shaped lower end of the barrel.

1 be received'withinfthe guide barrel. When.

The mouth of the collar 19 is large enough to receive the rings of the plunger and to compress them inwardly so that they will rel, thelower endof the guidebarrel 17 coinesin'contaet with the upper end thereof and is prevented from further movement downwardly. The plunger then passes 1 through into the working barrel leavingthe guide barrel standing on the upper end of the working barrel as shown Fig. 1.

Whenthe' plunger is withdrawn again from the well it will come in contact with the guide barrel and with the flange 18 at the upper end thereof and thus bring it with it to the surface where it may be removed. 1 a

In the operation of the pump in the well,

the lower cups 9" will act to scrape away from the working barrel sand which might otherwise work up between it and the plunger, and in that way protect the expanding rings. At the upper end of the plunger the cups 9 perform the same service. The rings thus protected from sand will maintain a tight closure with the working barrel at all times and preserve the necessary close fit between these two parts which is necessary for the proper operation of the pump.

In the ordinary construction of pump pjlungers there is a nut at the lower end thereof "whichi threaded into contact with barrell but by the construction shown and described, whereby the lower end 2 and the barrel 1 aiemade integral and whereby the barrel 1 is threaded atits upper end to the head and alocking nut 11 usedthereon, there is almost no danger of the loosening of the threaded portions so as to cause the loss of partsfof theplunge'r in the well. This structure is, therefore,of importance due to the fact that there isno danger from this constructio'n of the 1oos'ening of the connection due to the jarring of the plunger against the foot valve or other parts of the structiire during its o erations.

Havin thus described my invention, the further objects and adva tages ofwhich will be obviousto on'efl'skilled in the art, what'I claim as new and desireto protect by, Letters Patent, is zy p 1.. In a puinp,a working barrel, a plunger reciprocable therein, a head on said plunger, a tubular barrel of smaller diameter than said head having threaded attachment with the lower end of said head, a ilangeat the lower end of said barrel, acup of rigid material at the upper end of said barrel adjacent said head, having a sharpupwa-rdly directed scraping edge adapted to been against the working barrel, similar cups at the'lower end adjacent said flange having the scraping edge directed downwardly,and hard metal expansion rings on said barrel between said cups. i

2. In apump, a working barrel, a plunger reciprocable therein, a head on said plunger,

a tubular barrel of smaller diameter than said head secured thereto, means'at the upper and lower endsof said tubular barrel to bear against said working barrel and scrape the same free of sand, and hard metal ex= pansion ringsbetween said scraping'm'eans.

8. In a pump, aworking barrel, a'plunger reciprocable therein, a tubular section on said plunger, upwardly flaring cups thereon positioned to bear against said working barrel at the upper end thereof and down wardly flaring cups at the lower end in combination with piston rings on said section be tween said cups, said rings being clamped between said cups and adapted to press resiliently against said working barrel.

4. In a pump, a working barrel, a plunger therein, upwardly flaring cups at the upper end and downwardly flaring cups at the lower end thereof, said cups adapted toscrape the inner face of said working barrel, and means between said cups adapted to make a close fit with said working barrel comprising sets of slidable rings having fitted thereon at one end resilient expanding piston rings.

5. In a pump plunger the combination of a tubular body, scraping cups at each end thereof, and resilient expanding rings clamped between said cups on said body.

6. In a pump, a working barrel, a plunger reciprocable therein and having cups and expanding rings thereon, in combination with means to hold said rings contracted while said plunger is introduced into said working barrel, comprising a guide barrel having a detachable bell shaped mouth thereon, said guide barrel being of the same intween said cups and common means to clamp said cups and rings in place on said plunger. In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix m signature, this the 8th day of July, 1921.

GERALD R. LIVERGOOD. 

